Dream Scribes Excerpts
The following excerpts detailing the development of Dream was originally published on Rare’s Scribes letter page. We’ve scoured each edition in order to provide you with every mention of the title to be found in Rare’s posted answers in chronological order below.
We’ve also included a link above each heading which will re-direct to the original letters page that the question was featured in should you wish to view it in the original context – otherwise you’ll find that the entries below only focus on answers related to Dream for a comprehensive listing for any fan wanting further information on pre-release content, hidden easter eggs, abandoned features and development secrets:
To whoever reads this,
I’ve written in a lot before and my question’s never been answered, soooo… I’m gonna get lots of people to write in with the same Q and hopefully at least ONE will be answered. Here’s what I’ve been wondering… What was the Giant’s name..? The Giant who use to be in B-K before Grunty was there! Also, do you have a screen shot, render, character sketch, or description of what the Giant looked like? Some say he was the king of the Gruntlings. Some say he was a a giant Klungo. Some say he was Capn’ Blackeye (that would explain his huge size). Some also say he looked just like Grunty, only she/he was a Giant.
Come on! Tell us the truth! Well, maybe I’d have a better chance of you answering if I get Kablooie (evil twin of Kazooie) to write in… Or maybe SirSlush…
Devin529
I enjoyed following the progress of your scheme to get lots of people to write in, especially when nobody did. Nevertheless, proper answerage follows:
“There was never a name or even a picture for the giant, as his time as the main bad guy was extremely brief. We swapped to a witch because she promised that she had more levels in her lair than the giant had in his castle. She claimed her levels were really good and the players would love them, whereas the giant was little more than a hopeless fool who was still trying to construct level 1.”
Dear Scribes,
I’m all new to this “Scribes” stuff, but I figured out you’d at least answer me decently.
1) Conker Live & Uncut WILL have the good ol’ Conker’s BFD with revamped graphics, RIGHT?! I KNOW that Banjo-Kazooie and the such are a little old while compared to the incoming games, but…
2) It’s been SUCH a LONG time since remnants of something-or-another of a jungle/forest level “Forest 2/Jungle 2” (Treasure Trove Cove being “beach”, Freezeezy Peak being “Snow 1”) and another snow level “Snow 2” were discovered on Banjo-Kazooie… Could you all ask whoever was the head programmer of B-K if these were originally projects or if those are simply rumors, pretty please with a cherry on top?
3) For simple references, can anyone tell me what was the first name of Banjo-Kazooie? I know for a fact it was intended to be Banjo-Kazoo but it was rejected due to copyrights (or the such) and in the BETA pictures I dug up, it’s on a cloud instead of in mid-air. I want to know the title of THAT BETA version, please.
4) Did Banjo-Tooie have any kind of BETA name or was it simply Banjo-Tooie?
5) Okay, now that both B-K and B-T are out, mind telling me who Blackeye (the seasick pirate who has portraits all over Mad Monster Mansion) is exactly? I’ve read so many rumors…
6) Last but not least, are Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge and Banjo-Threeie going to be published? And if yes, will B-3 follow Banjo-Tooie or Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge?
Sweetly Yours,
Rare-Game Fangirl Neo
1) Good start: I can’t answer you decently on this one, because while I’d assume that’s the plan (and I’ve heard it’s “looking very nice”), I haven’t been able to find out for sure. However, I did get the Banjo team leader to chip on on your next questions, though that’s certainly no guarantee of getting all the answers you wanted:
“2) Not sure what she’s on about here. I think she’s probably crazy.
“3) Banjo-Kazooie started off life as a completely different game called Dream. Dream originally had a human main character, which was then changed to a rabbit and finally Banjo the bear. Then Dream (with Banjo in it) changed to Banjo-Kazoo – the game as you know it. Copyright issues with ‘Kazoo’ then forced us to change it to ‘Kazooie’. Not as simple as you thought, huh?
“4) No, it was Banjo-Tooie from the very start.
“5) He was in Dream.
“6) Grunty’s Revenge is already released! Regarding any more Banjo games, the bear is now out of shape and washed up from celebrating his second victory over Gruntilda – so wouldn’t be much use if the witch somehow made a comeback (hardly likely, as she was reduced to only a head).”
Er… Hello Scribes!
Whilst looking back through some old Scribe pages, a few questions popped up in my head. You mentioned that the main character in Dream was a human (before the rabbit and bear). You also mentioned that Blackeye was in the game, was he the main character? Also, when you see him at Jolly’s, he says that he ‘Had a DREAM’ and a bear (Banjo?) stole his glory, would this back up my theory that he was in Dream, and that he was the main character until Banjo was later decided upon, thus, ‘stealing his glory’?
A truly devoted BK fanatic
As you noticed, we’ve already said that Blackeye was in Dream. So your theory that Blackeye was in Dream is a pretty good one. But no, he was never the main character. I don’t think it was ever a rabbit either, but if it was, he’d probably have been called ‘Humpo’.
Dear Rare,
I tell you something. Grabbed by Ghoulies is very good game. Same makers as Banjo and Donkey Kongs that were good! Make me so happy I give big hug, Ha Ha, yes?
Banjo started as Dream, eh? Dream started with boy lead character, yes? Is boy from Dream same boy as one from Grabbed by Ghoulies?
Thank you for time.
Heinz
“Thank you for your kind words,” respond the Ghoulies boys gracefully, “it’s not every day that we hear from someone who has played Ghoulies – let alone likes it. Yes, Banjo did start out as Dream and did indeed have a boy lead character in it. But it wasn’t Cooper from Ghoulies – it was a younger chap with a rubbish wooden sword and a dog. Who got replaced by a rabbit with a dog. Who got replaced by a bear with a dog. Who turned into Banjo with a bird. So now you know.”
Hello Sribes!
I wanted you put a question about project Dream, on the hero. You said that one moment of the project has, the hero was a rabbit. Is this the rabbit of Grunty industries??? I also noticed that its “voice” is A can close the same one as that of Banjo.
Thank you To answer!
Daivy Merlijs
PS : excuse me not to speak correctly English, I come from Belgium .
That’s no excuse, my Flemish is exquisite.
The B-K boys respond: “Yes, we did have a rabbit in Dream, but it was not the one used in Banjo-Tooie. It’s quite likely that the voices were similar, as back in the days before professionally recorded voices and soundtracks we just used to threaten team members until someone volunteered to do it. Some people were less useless than others, so they got the job every time.
“Now that you’ve mentioned Dream, I bet you didn’t know this game started on the SNES and was using the next generation of DKC-style graphics. You probably don’t even care, but someone might.”
February 28th 2007:
Dear Mr. Scribesman of Rare,
I decided to be a bit more formal in this letter than my last instead of making you feel like you’re taking a pop-quiz or something.
So, to start, thanks for vicariously flooding YouTube with Banjo trailers. Every time I want to see footage of fan-made comedy revolving around your famous bear-bird duo, I get at least 50 entries with your Banjo 3 trailer. But, ranting aside, a simple question: Will all the moves be usable in the new BK? Because having to memorize all the moves from the original as well as an overhaul of new moves being moved to a new control scheme just seems a little difficult to follow. And what’s up with Captain Blackeye? I think you should give ol’ Cap’N Crunch there a game of his own so he’d stop binge drinking and remembering suppressed memories of his past misfortunes.
I just got Conker: Live and Reloaded (finally) last weekend and I was impressed with the amazing graphics. They almost looked like Xbox 360 graphics! It was the first time I looked at poo and said “Damn, that poo looks freaking amazing”.
When it was announced the only possible Rare title that could be played on Wii’s Virtual Console was Donkey Kong 64, seeing as Nintendo owns the rights to Donkey Kong, I seemed to remember a recent exchange of rights to the James Bond franchise with EA and Activision. Does this mean that Activision has the say in whether or not GoldenEye 007 would show up in Nintendo’s digital time machine? Or is the decision yours or Microsoft’s?
Very thanks,
Bryan Skinner, Rare fan from across the pond
From my (uneducated) point of view, GoldenEye is caught up in a convoluted web of rights the likes of which would make the Weaver from Perdido Street Station jealous. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen, just that a lot of people with a lot of different perspectives are involved. Oh, and I think you mean Donkey Kong Country rather than Donkey Kong 64, or at least that’s the only one that’s been announced to my knowledge.
You want to see fan-made Banjo and Kazooie comedy sketches? Oh wait, you’re being sarcastic. That’s a relief. You are being sarcastic…? Let’s quickly go grill the team on the issue of moves before this conversation gets any darker.
“Yes, trying to cram about 150 moves onto a single controller would have been a bit daunting. We considered sharing the moves out over multiple controllers (in some kind of cynical ploy to get people to buy more controllers) but even our musician who only ever plays MMOs could see this was a poor idea. What we actually want to do is make the control system easier so that more people can enjoy the game. You’ll have to wait and see what the result is.”
And as for Captain Blackeye: “He did have a game of his own – Dream. Check out a ‘coming soon’ edition of Retro Gamer magazine, which features a ‘making of Banjo-Kazooie’ article. This explains a lot more about how Banjo started off life as a game called Dream that featured boys with wooden swords, a rabbit that looked like a man, a dopey dog, a bear (that became Banjo) and a bunch of rubbish pirates. Confused? So were we!”
Dear Scribes,
I’m a longterm fan. Well. Longterm enough. You had me at Banjo-Kazooie‘s release, so there.
I’m not here to be critical or pose questions that have been asked to you lot till the words begin to haunt your dreams, but to ask this. My gaming future may rest upon the answer. Basically you lot ruined platformers for me. I could hardly play anything last gen without your logo, or that of a certain company you were 2nd party for a while on the box. Why? Your games are too good (as are theirs).
I’m writing to ask you all what you consider the future of the platform game to be? Recent efforts of other companies have ended up falling into a schematic that involves no exploration, no collecting and a short, linear experience with virtually no reward, with single-button combat being the bulk of the game(s). Please Rare, assure me that this same folly will not befall the new Banjo-Kazooie game. I need notes, Jinjos, secret honeycombs and sickeningly hard Jiggy challenges!
Also, I’m sure you guys aren’t the sorts to turn down a good idea, but how about reviving an ancient cartoon called Pirates of Dark Water? You guys could turn a story like that into the kind of game that makes a Zelda title look undeveloped.
Anyways. Me ruv you rong time. Forever an’ that. Honest.
Alan Herron
I would go into a lengthy discussion of the future of 3D platforming at this point, but it’d have to be tongue-in-cheek because I don’t actually have any deep thoughts on the subject, and I’m pragmatic enough to know that you couldn’t give a toss what I think anyway. So then: Banjo team?
“I think it would be brash and very un-British to claim that the new Banjo is the future of platforming games. So we will modestly claim that we are trying to offer something that takes platforming games in a new direction. Whether this direction is a one-off or does create a future remains to be seen. But I totally agree with you that this genre has lost its way in current years. Despite pulling out hair on a daily basis while wrestling with issues that Banjo has never seen before, I love the fact that we are committed to making something different rather than more of the same.
“Dream (the game that eventually became Banjo-Kazooie) was a story about pirates. We had Captain Blackeye, Grim Jim and Flintlock Jock. As it was never finished we can loftily claim that it would have been the best pirate game ever. And there would not have been a pesky ninja in sight.”
Dear Scribes,
I’m sure you have a giant mass of Banjo-Kazooie (and the like) questions. I don’t think this has ever been asked before, but just what is Captain Blackeye’s first name? Or did Mr. And Mrs. Blackeye actually name him “Captain”? (With a name like Blackeye he had to be a pirate, or fisherman or something anyway!)
Or is that just his pirate name (like how a pope takes a new “pope name”) and he has a different name altogether?
Also: I can’t help but think he [Capt’n Blackeye] is either related to Gruntilda or dated her… but I don’t want to inspire any BK fanfics here so I’ll shut up about that.
Fishmonger
More importantly, what’s Captain Falcon’s first name? Or Captain Birdseye, who tragically died earlier this year? Will we ever be told? For now, we can at least ask Gregg about Captain Blackeye (I doubt he’d be able to shed any light on Captain Birdseye).
“Captain Blackeye never had a first name. We were too busy inventing all sorts of other daft characters and names for Dream, the game he was to feature in. Grant (Banjo’s musician) wrote a great soundtrack for this game and to this very day he is still raiding his hard drive, recycling the old tunes and bringing them back to life in his games. I’m almost certain you didn’t know (probably because we never told anyone) that one of the daytime music pieces in VP was originally called ‘boy’, Mad Monster Mansion in B-K was called ‘bully’ and the Shipwreck tune in DK64 was ‘mudplugger’.”
If that’s not good enough for you, just assume Captain Blackeye’s first name was Brian.
Hi Rare!
I’m a French guy and I’m doubtless your bigger fan in France! I’ve all your fantastic games since the first Donkey Kong Country (except for the games on Microsoft’s systems. Sorry but I’m a Nintendo fan-boy before!).
I’ve a lot a questions for you and I’m sorry if my English is not good…
– Is it possible to see your Nintendo 64 games on the Wii’s Virtual Console? If no, why the 3 DKC are available?
– Why did you change your logo? Personnaly I prefer the old blue and gold. I think he was more modern than the new…
– Actually, who own the Goldeneye‘s rights? You, Nintendo, EA or Activision?
– Do you work again on Nintendo DS?
– Is right that Diddy Kong Racing began his development as RC Pro Am 64?
– Project Dream… that was the working title for Banjo-Kazooie right? Does the project begin on Super Nintendo or on Nintendo 64?
– Did you keep some ideas of Twelve Tales Conker 64 in the final Bad Fur Day version?
– And finnaly: where are Tim and Chris?
Bests regards from France!
Nicolas
Euro-question onslaught! Let’s see which of these can actually be answered…
Rare games appear on VC when Nintendo request it and usually only when Nintendo own the properties, hence the DKC trilogy – Microsoft own other Rare IP so XBLA is a more likely destination. The logo change was due anyway and the switch to Microsoft seemed like a good time to put it into action. The GoldenEye rights are too tight a knot for me to even attempt to untangle without jeopardising the structural integrity of my fingers. Nothing to say on future DS games right now, but we’ll see. DKR didn’t actually begin as Pro-Am 64, but it did go through that stage. The very first incarnation of Dream (long before it became anything to do with bears) was on the SNES, probably the earliest ‘beta version’ I got the chance to play. BFD inherited quite a lot of content from Twelve Tales, just one of the reasons that a revival of Twelve Tales itself is not really a going concern. And Tim and Chris are still working on their own ventures, which aren’t really for us to discuss. There we go. Did reasonably well with that lot, I thought. Don’t know what came over me, it’s not like me to make such an effort. Bests regards from Twycross!